Autodesk rolls out Professional Certification programme

Autodesk is launching a Professional Certification programme throughout Northern Europe. The scheme is designed to offer users a means of gaining official accreditation in Autodesk software in order to give them a competitive edge in the marketplace and help them succeed in their design careers.

Engineering students and professionals will now be able to obtain an industry-recognised qualification, which will benefit both them and their employers, providing a reliable validation of skills and knowledge, aiding professional development, increasing productivity and enhancing credibility.

Already successfully launched in India, the scheme will now be rolled out across Northern Europe to regions including the UK, Ireland, Benelux and Scandinavia. Tests will be offered at over 200 selected Autodesk Authorised Training Centres where instructor-led, hands-on courses will also be available. Autodesk will also be providing a range of online preparation materials such as product-specific official training courseware, knowledge assessment tests, practice certification examinations and certification examination guides to help candidates prepare for the examinations.

Two levels

Certification will initially be available at two levels – Autodesk Certified Associate and Autodesk Certified Professional – with plans to launch an Autodesk Certified Expert certification in the near future. The Associate Certification is a multiple-choice examination testing candidates’ knowledge of tools, features and tasks, while the Professional Certification is performance-based and candidates will be required to carry out practical tasks to demonstrate the real-world skills required for a career in design. Certification will be available across a range of Autodesk Software products including the 2008 and 2009 versions of AutoCAD, AutoCAD Architecture, Revit Architecture, Civil 3D and Inventor.

On obtaining certification, candidates will receive a certificate and logo identifying them as Autodesk Certified, and they will also have the opportunity to be listed in Autodesk's global database of certified users as a reference for future employment.